N4T Investigators: Cross-border operation

LUKEVILLE, Ariz.- The News 4 Tucson Investigators are in Mexico awaiting further information about a cross-border operation involving U.S. and Mexico law-enforcement.

At 7 a.m., Mexican Federal Police Blackhawk helicopters launched from Arizona into the border city of Sonoyta, Sonora across from Lukeville.

About 50 agents from Customs and Border Protection, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the Department of Public Safety are gathered at a staging area in Lukeville.

Agents are patrolling the rooftop of the port of entry and others are standing guard along the border. One Mexican Blackhawk returned to the United States.

At around 5:25 p.m., the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement released the following statement.

ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) special agents, working in conjunction with our law enforcement partners from other federal agencies, several Arizona agencies and the Government of Mexico, are assisting Mexican authorities with an arrest operation. As this is an ongoing investigation, no further details are available at this time. The operation targets criminal elements and organizations operating in and around Sonoyta, Mexico.

Multiple sources said the cross-border operation has been in the works for a while, but no one bothered to inform the mayor of Sonoyta, Mexico about the operation.

Mayor Heriberto Serrano O'Campo was angry that the secret operation was never revealed to him or his police officers. He said five helicopters were involved in the cross-border raid that netted at least 12 arrests.